Sabtu, 13 Maret 2010

Electric Scooters For The Mobility Impaired

A serious illness or injury which limits a person’s power of mobility can have serious detrimental effects upon both the individual whose mobility has suffered and the family of the individual. Thanks to advancements in the technologies of mobility, however, these injuries no longer mean an individual is destined to spend most of their days indoors.

One major development in mobility technology is the advancement of the electric scooter.

Scooters are ideal for elderly people, who still have reasonable mobility around the house or on very short walks but who find shopping trips or walks over more than a block unmanageable.

There are three major types of electric scooter: the travel scooter, the mid-size scooter, and the outdoor scooter.

The travel scooter sounds like it would be the most advance of the three, but in fact it is intended for lighter use. The travel scooter comes in three- or four-wheel designs, and is meant for indoor use or outside on hard, smooth surfaces. The small wheels on the travel scooter are ideal for maneuverability in enclosed spaces, around furniture and other items around the house. They are usually designed to be collapsible for easy vehicular transportation, and generally have a low battery capacity as they are not meant for longer excursions.

The mid-size scooter and the outdoor scooter are considered to be “daily use” scooters. They are for individuals who enjoy doing their own shopping and longer excursions.

The mid-size scooter is available in three- or four-wheel models, and has a large wheel size that is suitable for use outside. The maneuverability is not as fine as with the travel scooter, but still allows for good use in coffee shops, stores, restaurants, and malls. Mid-size scooters are not made to be dismantled, so a van or truck is needed in order to move the scooter from one location to another. Mid-size scooters can come with a large variety of options, including power seats, headlights, turn signals, and suspension.

The outdoors scooter is the SUV of the scooter family. These scooters are for individuals who are highly committed to large amounts of time outdoors over al kinds of terrain and will not be held back by their limited mobility. They outdoor models usually come with four wheels, in order to gain maximum stability on rough terrain, but three-wheel models are available. A larger battery allows the scooter to be used for longer distances and time periods, and the outdoor model scooter can also come with suspension and light packages. The outdoor scooter is not very maneuverable indoors, and it also requires a large vehicle equipped with a lift to transport.